This was a very special love shoot in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park with this amazing couple, Latisha and Cena.

The San Diego pair came all the way to San Francisco for a well-deserved vacation and for this shoot to celebrate their newlywed status. They’d recently tied that knot at a courthouse down in SoCal.

A little about the couple

Latisha and Cena have had a tough go of it recently, but they continue to find respite from life’s difficulties in one another.

Having got married in their hometown in summer 2018, this shoot in the fall was their first chance to take a breather and just enjoy one another with zero stress.

They didn’t have a wedding photographer, so all the more reason to mark this time in their lives with some fun, meaningful photos

Latisha specifically wanted to incorporate a classic San Francisco street feel, but at the same time pair it with some nature areas and pretty architecture.

Not knowing the area herself, I helped her and Cena with finding a good spot that would honor her vision.

Engagement photo spots around the Golden Gate Park

We started outside the De Young Museum with its distinctive copper façade. After that we made our way to the California Academy of Sciences via the Music Concourse and the small tree-lined area by the Rideout Fountain.

As it was super close by, we also wandered into the Shakespeare Garden for its elegant and refined feel and to get that hit of greenery.

There are all great spots that I really recommend around the Golden Gate Park.

The California Academy of Sciences has spectacular concrete walls I love! They act as a neutral, slightly edgy backdrop which this couple loved too.

Bathed in the late afternoon sun, the concrete really set the scene for the hip style of this city-loving couple.

We played around with poses and I like to think I brought out what the couple wanted to express personality-wise in their photos.

Outfit changes for the couple shoot

Latisha and Cena had a couple of outfit changes for the level of formality of the settings.

We started with a more casual look, then Latisha changed into a dress which was so flattering on her.

I really recommend dresses of this style! Latisha consulted with me on what type of dress to buy before we got to shooting, which was a really good idea to make sure that it’d work on camera.

What I recommended is long enough to catch the breeze but not so long you have to gather it up or risk tripping over it.

It creates a flattering, tall silhouette. Also a dress like this provides beautiful flowy dynamism, especially if it catches a San Francisco breeze!

The print is neither too blocky, nor so small it gets lost – it just photographs very well.

As for Cena, he also did an outfit change – I cannot get enough of his floral shirt! His jacket even said ‘Zoe’ on it, which I, of course, loved!

Finishing up the shoot on a San Francisco street location

To finish up, we walked a few minutes to 10^th Ave & Fulton for some of that iconic SF street vibe.

Latisha saw this as symbolic of their standing strong amid the chaos and craziness of this past year: the calm in the eye of the storm.

Like most couples I work with, Latisha and Cena had never been professionally photographed before.

I try to vibe off each couple as much as I can, and I give more direction to help with nerves at the start of the shoot. As we progress through I find that it gets easier and less awkward.

After a little while, the natural interactions of the couple start to show through more and I play off of that.

I capture the unplanned, spontaneous moments while giving posing guidance to help you get the best from your shoot.

Latisha’s review of Zoe Larkin Photography

Latisha wrote me an amazing review on my Yelp page!

If you are ever in The Bay area and need an amazing photographer, I highly recommend #zoelarkin – @zoe.larkin. She is truly amazing.

Cena and I took a mini-vacation last month and she was part of our amazing experience. I chose Cena to be my husband and I chose Zoe to be our memory catcher for our wedding that was supposed to take place in San Francisco.  Months after our San Diego wedding, she was still able to bless us with her photography skills, kindness and generosity. She captured us so well! She is able to travel to you, and she’s worth her fee plus more. We hope to use her for many other important moments in our life. You should too!

Also, before i forget, Zoe increased my insight that Cena and I needed to be more tender with each other. We have a rough type of love/ affection and it shows in the way we communicate and touch each other. I even learned through our shoot that my hubby is super ticklish. Although we are still rough around the edges, I find that we try to be more gentler, intimate with each other. When I hold him, its with TLC and I think she helped bring that out of us. We needed to be more compassionate with each other.

Thank you Zoe!

For more details about our engagement photography services in the San Francisco Bay Area, please check out the introductory guide and fun welcome video at the link below! I can’t wait to meet you!

Pin this to your Bay Area engagement photoshoot / couple shoot planning board!